Transfer valve for vacuum-closing machines



June 24,1930. f G. FLOQK 1,766,018y

TRANSFER VALVE FOR VACUUM CLOSING lMA'JIIIYHUS Filed March 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24, 1930. G, FLooK TRANSFER VALVE FOR VACUUM CLOSING MACHIYNES 2 sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1929 Patented June 24, 1930 GEORGE FLOOR, OF SYRAOUSE, NEW YORK, assumons 'ro GONTINENTAL c comramr, INC., or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or NEW YORK TRANSFER lVlkJ'/'Ill FOR VACUUM-CLOSING MACHINES .ApplicationV led March 20, 1929. Serial No. 348,648.

the pull of the vacuum chamber may be` utilized for maintaining a sealing Vcontact between the valve seat and a transfer valve which rotates about a fixed axis.

A further object of the invention -is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the wall of the vacuum chamber adjacent the transfer valve is provided with a flexible diaphragm section supporting the valve seat so that the pull of the vacuum chamber on said diaphragm will .hold the valve seat' against t ev transfer valveand thus maintain al sealing contact. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a transfer valve for a machine for closing in vacuuml with means whereby the container as it is forced into the receiving valve operates to eject a container from the opposite side of the rotating valve.-

A further object of the invention is to provide a transfer valve. of the above type for delivering containers to a vacuum chamber with means whereby the pull of the vacuum chamber may be utilized to aid in the removal ofthe containers from the valve v into the vacuum chamber.

A further object of the invention is to provide a transfer valve ofthe above type for discharging containers from a lvacuum chamber with means for insuring the ejection of all containers from the valve after the valve ceases to receive containers.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be p hereinafter more fully disclosed. i

In the drawings which lshow by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is a sectional view on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a front View of a portion of the machine showing the valve seat and support therefor. y

The invention is directed to a vacuum closing machine and more particularly to the means for ktransferring the containers to be vacuumized and closed to or from the machine. A rotating valve is used for transferring the containers to the machine, which valve rotates about aiixed axis and is provided with a series of pockets adapted to compeltely house the containers and convey the same into the vacuum chamber. A similar valve is provided for discharging the closed containers from the vacuum chamber. These valves for transferring the containers are located within the casing or frame of the machine and within the vacuum chamber.

The front wall of the machine adjacent the valve is provided with a fiexible diaphra m and the portions of the casing forming t 1e valve seats which make sealing contact with the valves arev attached to and carried by this diaphragm. The valve seatsfand diaphragm are located at the outer side of the valves, and the diaphragm `is subject to the pull of the vacuum chamber and'this will hold the valve seats in sealing contact with the valves.

The containers are delivered in succession to the pockets of the receiving valve from a suitable'conveyor. Means is provided for insuring the complete housing of the containerin 'its pocket. The pockets are arranged in pairs which are diametrically opposed and associated with each pair of pook# ets is an -ejectingrod carrying ahead at each end thereof. This rod is arranged diametrically of the valve and is free to move' endwise. The rod is of suilicient length so that when a container is placed in a pocket and engages the head and forces ing means not shown and after they are closed they are then brought to a position where they are placed in the discharge valve. This discharge valve is equipped with similar rods and when a container is forced into l the pocket at the inner side of the valve then, if there is a container in the pocket at the opposite side, the rod is pushed so as to eject said container from the pocket.

lMeans is provided for mechanically forcingV the rod so as to eject a container from the outer pocket provided no container is delivered to the inner pocket.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,.

the vacuum closing machine is only shown in part and consists of an enclosing casing 1 forming a vacuum chamber 2. In this vacuum'chamber 2 is a rotating conveyor 3 which is in the form of an annular supporting rin This ring is provided with spaced projections 4 against which the containers are placed and thus timed so as to be proper- 1y delivered to the closing machine. Attached to this main casing 1 and projecting outwardly therefrom isa valve casing 5. i

valve casing is bolted to the main casing'by suitable vbolts 6. This valve'casing is provided with a relatively large opening at the front side thereof which is closed in part by a iexible diaphragm 7. The diaphragm is secured to the casing by suitable bolts- 8. yThere are two openings in this diaphragm through one of which the containers are received, and through the other opening they are discharged. The portion 7 a of the diaphragm lies between the openings. Located withi'h the valve casing is a rotatable valve 9 which isl mounted to rotate about a xed axis. The valve is provided with a gear 10 indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, which meshes with a gear 11 carried by therotlating conveyor 3 of the machine. The rotating valve 9 is provided with a series of pockets 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. These pockets are of suficient size to receive a containerrand coml pletely house the container. The pocket is shaped so that the container' may be easilydelivered thereto while the valve 1s rotating. The pockets may be said to be arranged in -apairs and the pockets in each pair are opposed to eachother, that is, the pockets 13 and 16 form one pair, the pockets 12 and 15 another pair, and the pockets 14 and 17 still another pair.

j Associated witheach pair of ockets is an ejector rod 18. This ejector rod is mounted to slide freely in the valve and is provided by the container and this causes the'head atJ the other end of the rod to eject a container from `the pocket 13. As shown in the drawings, the container C has just been delivered to the pocket 16 and the container C has just been ejected from the pocket 13 by this inward movement of the rod 18 associated with this pair of pockets.. Inasmuch as this head is of considerable size, when the pocket 16 moves past the valve seat and the opposed pocket moves so as to be open to the atmosphere, then the pull of the vacuum chamber on the pocket 16 will operate on the head associated with said pocket moving the same and forcing the container out'of the pocket. The rod 18 moves freely in a passage through the valve which is packed so as to maintain a tight seal for thechamber.

Secured to the diaphragm at the intake` opening is acas'ting which forms a valve seat for the valve 9. This valve seat is shawn at 21in the drawings. The valve which the containers are passedvinto pockets of the valve. The valve seat is bolted to the diaphragm 7 by. suitable bolts 23. The pull of thevacuum chamber on this diaphragm 7 will draw this valve seat 21 against theface of the valve 9 thus maintaining a running sealing contactA with the gvalve. This takes up any wear between the parts and enables the valve to be mounted so Y as to rotate in fixed bearings.

The containers are fed along a guideway indicated diagrammatically at 24 in Fig. l by a conveyor chain 25. The uideway `is so shaped that the container is orced from the chain into a pocket of the valve. To insure that the container will be fully seated in the pocket before the pocket crosses the valve seat, aseating lever 26 is provided. This lever 26 is pivoted at l27 toa suitable bracket carried by the valve casing. `Mounted for rotation in this bracket is a sprocket wheel 27a which meshes with the conveyor chain and is'driven thereby.. On the face of this sprocket is a projecting cam 28. This projecting cam 28 isadapted to engage av seat is provided with an opening 22 througlhj roller 29 carried bythe arm 30 formed integral with the lever 26. A spring 31 normally presses the roller 29 against the sprocket wheel and holds it in its retracted position. As the cam passes under the roller the lever willbe moved so that the projection 32 carried thereby will lengage the con- 130 tainer and insure that it is fully seated within the pocket.

This guide is carrie'd by a bracket 35 which is capable of being adjusted so as to shift the position of the retarding guide.

After the container is transferred to the conveyor itis essential that it shall be placed against the projection 4 so as to Abe properly timed. As the container is carried along with the conveyor this guide 34 retardsits f movement and positions it against the projection. As shown in Fig. 1, the container G2 has'been retarded and placed against the projection 4.

The mechanism for closing the container hasv not been illustrated as` any suitable mechanism may be used 'for this purpose, the invention being directed wholly to the means for transferring the container to or from the vacuum chamber. After the container is closed, it is received by a rotating discharge lturret 36. This rotatingturret 36 is provided with spaced fingers 37. The container is moved by one ofthe fingers along a guide rail 38 and ofi" from a support 39 across the'conveyor 3 and into a pocket of a discharge 4valve 40. This discharge valve is mounted to rotate about a -xed axis and is provided with a series of pockets 41 arranged in pairs similar to the pockets in the receiving turret. Associated with each pair of pockets is an ejector rod 42 carrying at each end thereof a head 43. Each pocket at its iriner side is formed with a recess 44 in which the head may be housed.

Mounted on the frame of the machine is a rotating spider 45 which is provided with three arms 46. The rotating spider is attached to the hub of a gear carried by a stud 47 and this gear meshes with a gear 48 carried by a stud 49. The gear 48 meshes with a gear 50 carried by a sleeve 51 attached to the upper face of the turret 36. This turret A36 lis secured to a .sleeve 52 mounted to rotate about a supporting rod 53 carried by the frame of the machine. On this sleeve 52 is a gear 54fwlhich meshes with aV driven gear 55. The gear 54 also 'meshes with a gear 56 mounted on the support for the conveyor 3 and thus it isYA that the conveyorfis rotated.

When this spider 45 is rotated the. arm 46 comes into contact with the head 43 in one of the pockets and moves the rod outwardlymoving the rod for ejecting the container C3 at the same time a/container C4 is'being delivered into the pocket 41. The spider is so positioned as to move over the top of the containers. Associated with the valve 40 is a valve seat 57 which is similar in construction to the valve seat 21. This valve seat 57 is likewise secured to the diaphragm 7 and the pull of the vacuum chamber on the diaphragm maintains this valve seat 57 in running sealing Contact with the valve 40.v The valve seat 21 and the valve seat 57 are separated 'by the portion 7a of the diaphragm and, therefore, these two valve seats ,are independently movable to a sufficient extent to make running sealing contact with their respective valves. In order that the l container may be fully seated in the pocket before it passes the valve seat a placing lever 58 is provided. This lever is pivoted at 59 and is provided with a roller 60 which is so positioned as to be engaged by the projections 4 on the conveyor 3. The inner ends of theseprojections are rounded and the roller makes contact therewith and rolls over lthe same. This swings the lever to the dotted line position in Fig. land causes the outer end thereof to engage the container and force the same well into the pocket so that the container will not strike the edge of the valve seat. A spring 61 connected to the lever 58 normally swings the outer end of the lever away from the valve and a stop screw 62 limits the movement of the lever. The valve 40 is provided with a'rg'ear 10a which meshes with the gear 11.

The container after it is discharged from the valve 40 is again taken up by the conveyor 25 and carried along a suitable guide-V way as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1. The operation of the transfer valve is thought to be obvious from the above description. The containers are fed in succession into the pockets of the receiving transfer valve and fully seated therein. This isl done while the container is passing the opening 22 between the valve seats. 4When the pocket reaches the inner side of the inner valve 21it is o en to the vacuum chamber and the pull of) the vacuum chamber will draw on the head carried by the ejecting rod and thus force the container out against the guide and onto the conveyor. The placing of a container in the opposed pocket will further insure that the rod is moved so as to eject the container from the valve onto the conveyor in the, vacuum chamber. The'retarding guide engages the container and places the same against a timing projection so that it is properly positioned for delivery After the container is closed 'i The ejecting rod is positively moved to place the head thereof in its seat and thusy .permit the free placing of the container in the pocket. The guide 33 is provided with a guiding face 33a associated with this discharge turret and this retains the container in the pocket.

When the lever 58 operates von the. container to fully house it withiny the pocket both heads of the ejecting rod 42 are subjected to the vacuum pull and the container will not bei disturbed by the action of the vacuum pull on the rod.

When the container reaches the discharge opening between the valve seats 57, 57 it is positively ejected by the ejecting rod, which is moved by the spider arm.

It will be apparent that I have provided a transfer valve wherein the pull of the vacuum chamber is utilized for discharging the containers from the pockets ofthe ref ceiving valve and at the same time similar devices are operated by mechanical means for ejecting the containers from the dischargevalves. It will also be noted that while the valves rotate about xed centers the valve seats cooperating with the'valves i' nre attached'to a section of the casing which features thereo vmay be used in conjunction the appended claims.

with a single valve and thatpthe construction of the valve may be widely varied without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims. It will also be understood that other types of ejecting means may be used in connection wlth the valves and that the details of construction may be widely varied within the scope of Having fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination of a casing having a vacuum chamber and a rotary transfer valve for transferring containers to or from said chamber, said casing having, a valve seat contacting with the valve, and a diaphragm section supporting said seat, said seat being disposed relative tol said valve so that the vacuum pull on the diaphragm holds said seat`in sealingrcontact with the valve.

2.v The combination of a casing having a vacuum chamber and a rotary `transfer valve for transferring containers to ,or from said chamber, said valve having pockets therein in which a container may be completelyhoused, said casing having a valve seat contacting with the valve, and a diaphragm section supporting said seat, said seat being l disposed relative to said valve so that the vacuum pull on the dia hragm holds said seat in sealing contact Wlth the. valve.

3. The combination of a casing having a vacuum chamber, a rotary transfer valve for transferring `containers to or `from said vacuum chamber, said valve having a plurality of pockets adapted .to receive and completely house containers, and means for removing the container from the pocket, said casing having a valve seat contacting with the valve, anda diaphragm section supporting said seat, said seat being disposed relative to said Valve so that the vacuum pullon the diaphragm holds said seat in sealing contact with the valve.

4. The combination of a casing having a vacuum chamber and a Rrotary transfer valve for transferring vcontainers to or from said chamber, said valve having a plurality of pockets adapted to completely house the containers, and means for removing said containers from the pockets, said casing having a valve seat contacting with vthe valve and formed with an opening throughwhich the containers are fed to or discharged from the pockets, and a diaphragm section surrounding said valve seat and supporting the same so thatthe vacuum pull on the diaphragm holds said seat in sealing contact with the valve.

5. The combination of a casing having a vacuum chamber and a rotary transfer valve for transferring containers to or from said chamber, said casing having a valve seat contacting with the valve and provided with an opening through which the containers are fed to or discharged from the valve,

and a' diaphragm section surrounding the v valve seat and supporting the same, Ysaid valve seat being disposed relative to the' valve so that the vacuum pull on the diaphragm holds said seat in sealing contact with the valve.

' 6. The combination of a casing havinga vacuum chamber, a valve for transferringcontainers to or from said chamber, means for supporting said valve whereby the same rotates about a fixed axis, said casing having a movable valve seatv contacting with said valve and having an opening therethrough through which the containers vare fed to ordischarged from the valve, and meansl for yieldingly holding said' valve seat in con-v tact with said valve.

7. The combination of a casing having a l discharged from the valve, means for yieldingly holding said valve seat in contact with said valve, and means whereby the vacuum pull of the vacuum chamber 1s utilizedto maintain said valve seat in contact with the valve. j

8. The combination of a casing having a vacuum chamber, a valve .for transferring containers top or from said chamber, means for supporting said valve whereby the same rotates about a fixed axis, said casing having a movableA valve seat contacting with said valve and having an opening therethrough through which the containers are fed to or discharged from the valve, means for yield-v ingly holding said valve seat in contact with said valve, means whereby the vacuum pull of the vacuum chamberis utilized to maintain said valve seat in contact' with the valve, and means whereby the pull of the vacuum chamber may be utilized for removing the containers from the valve into the vacuum chamber.

9. The combination of a casing having a vacuum chamber, a transfer valve for transferring containers to or from said chamber, means for supporting said valve whereby the same rotates about a fixed axis, said casing having a valve seat engaging. the outer face of said valve and having an opening through which containers are fed to or discharged from said valve, and a diaphragm section supporting said seat, said valve having a series of pockets adapted to completely house the containers, said ockets being arranged in pairs diametricaliyof. the valve, and means associated with each pair whereby a container entering one pocket of a pair ejeets the container from the other pocket of said pair. j

10. The combination of a casing having a vacuum chamber and a rotary transfer valve for transferring containers to said chamber,

v'said valve having a series of. diametrically opposed pockets for completely housing the containers, a passage in the valve connecting rthe diametrically opposed pockets, a rod in said passage having sealing contact therewith, a head at each end of the rod whereby the suction pull of the vacuum chamber on the head will move the rod and cause the container to be ejected from the pocket.

11. The combination of a casing having a vacuum chamber, a rotary valve for transferring containers to said chamber,- said casing having a valve seat contacting with. the

*outer vface of the valve, said valve having a .series of pockets arranged in pairs diametrically of the valve, a rod associated with each pair of pockets and mounted for free movement in the valve, said rod extending from one `pocket to the diametrically opposed pocket, a head at eachend of the rod, the pockets having recesses at their inner faces to house said heads, said rod being of sufficient length so that when a container is forced into one pocket the rod is moved thereby s0 as to eject the container from the other ocket.

vl2. he combination of a casing having a vacuum chamber and a rotary transfer valve for transferring `containers to said chamber, said valve having a series of dlametrlcally opposed pockets for completely housing the containers, a passage Iin the valve connectin the diametrically opposed pockets, a rod 1n said passage having sealing contact therewith, a head at. each end of the rod `whereby the suction pull of the vacuuml chamber on the head will move the rod and -cause the container to be ejected from the 

